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Thursday, 25 November 2010

Boys Smash Car Windscreen 'For a Laugh'

By Ben Aulakh

Two boys who shattered a car windscreen after throwing a breezeblock from a bridge in Nottinghamshire have admitted they did it for ‘a laugh.’

The boys, aged 12 and 13 were arrested by police on September 23 after throwing a number of missiles form a bridge on the A57 at Manton, Worksop in the county.

Police were alerted after drivers reported stones and other items were being repeatedly thrown into the road, including a breezeblock, which completely shattered a car’s windscreen.

Nottinghamshire County Council funded a CCTV camera to send images of the bridge directly to the CCTV Control Room, before local officers arrested the boys.

Inspector Hayley Williams, from Worksop police station said, “The danger posed by throwing stones at vehicles from a bridge is unthinkable.

“The CCTV camera will remain in place and should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of undertaking similar activities that they can expect to be caught.”

During interview, the youths admitted four offences between them where they had deliberately thrown missiles from the bridge at moving vehicles in order to smash their windscreens.

Both admitted they had done it for ‘a laugh,’ since the arrests, there have been no further offences reported.

Insp Williams added, “It is only due to luck that no one driving beneath the bridge was killed, these two boys could easily have been in court facing a much more serious charge of manslaughter.”

In light of the offences the 12-year-old boy received a final warning, which means any further offending will result in a court appearance, a contract will still be put in place to address his behaviour.

The 13-year-old boy pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage and one of attempted criminal damage at youth court on 12 October and received a six-month referral order.

Cllr Mick Murphy, County Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “I am delighted we have been able to catch those responsible for this criminal and potentially fatal activity.

“It must have been terrifying for drivers whose windscreens were hit and we must have been very close to a fatal incident, I find the response of those arrested that they did it for ‘a laugh’ shocking.”